Here’s what’s happening next on the 35th/Alaska/Avalon repaving-and-more project, as announced today by SDOT:

Next week we will continue with demolition on the north half of SW Alaska St between 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW. Weather depending, as early as February 12 we anticipate beginning concrete pouring on 35th Ave SW and continuing onto SW Alaska St. This work will continue into the week of February 17. After completing the north side of SW Alaska St we will then move traffic to the north side and begin work on the south side of SW Alaska St as early as February 24. We anticipate work in this zone to take several weeks. Please note that this work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled. We will be sure to let you know if this work changes.

During construction, please expect left turns onto SW Alaska St from 35th Ave SW to be restricted to allow room for our crews to work safely and efficiently. Additionally, access to 36th Ave SW from SW Alaska St will remain restricted at the north end until concrete work is complete. Once complete, we will then close the south end of 36th Ave SW and SW Alaska St to demolish and rebuild the southern half of SW Alaska St.

Also noted, no work is planned February 14, 17, and 21, For a big-picture look at what’s been done and how much longer until the entire project is complete, see our report from two weeks ago.

The long-awaited opening date for the Columbia Street Transit Pathway has finally been set. Here’s the announcement just in:

For 26,000 daily bus riders on 12 routes, the Seattle Squeeze is about to get a little easier with the reopening of Columbia Street from Alaskan Way to Third Avenue on February 22.

That’s when King County Metro shifts bus service to a long-planned, smoother and more reliable transit pathway with bus lanes and key traffic changes designed and supported by the City of Seattle. The new corridor will have connections between Metro buses including the RapidRide C Line, the Metro Water Taxi, and Washington State Ferries at Colman Dock.

With the Alaskan Way Viaduct out of the way, we’re putting the finishing touches on Columbia Street, transforming the street to connect buses between Alaskan Way and Third Avenue – one of the nation’s busiest busways.

Opening Feb. 22, the new bus connection will be smoother and more reliable, bypassing previous freight train delays in SODO. New bus stops also will be within a block of Washington State Ferries at Colman Dock and the Metro Water Taxi at Pier 50, and buses will now carry riders from the waterfront to the regional public transit network and Link light rail stations in the heart of Downtown Seattle.

“The Seattle Squeeze has tested the patience and endurance of commuters, and this month we reach an important turning point – putting buses on a better pathway to and from downtown Seattle,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “A new hub of connections between ferries, water taxis, buses, and light rail within a few blocks make transferring easy, and will help keep people moving. Our partners at the city and waterfront have prioritized transit, helping make progress toward defeating the climate crisis and bringing more people closer to fast and reliable Metro service.”

For years, bus riders from Burien, White Center, and West Seattle traveled swiftly to and from downtown Seattle. However, the pathway relied on the seismically vulnerable and obsolete SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Since the viaduct closed, 12 bus routes have traveled on surface streets while crews demolished the viaduct and rebuilt Columbia Street for two-way bus operations. These routes – 21 express, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, and the RapidRide C Line faced delays that peaked in summer 2019, prompting Metro and Seattle to temporarily shift outbound buses to Fourth Avenue to avoid major afternoon traffic delays. The two most popular routes on this list – RapidRide C Line and route 120 – carry a combined total of about 20,000 daily riders.

“During the Seattle Squeeze, residents from all over Seattle have chosen transit to help alleviate congestion. One of the most impacted neighborhoods is West Seattle, so this opening allows the start of faster and more reliable transit commutes,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “Shifting buses to Alaskan Way and Columbia Street is an exciting first step toward the new waterfront optimized for transit.”

The project was funded in part by King County Metro, with $3.5 million in improvements on Columbia Street between First and Third avenues. Columbia Street between Alaskan Way and First Avenue was rebuilt as part of the City’s Waterfront Seattle Program and included new water and sewer lines, electrical infrastructure, drainage system, and a new street and sidewalks.

If weather permits, we will begin work to create a new bus lane on Columbia Street between First and Third avenues on Monday, Feb. 10. We will need to temporarily close some westbound lanes to complete this work, and once we are done, the new bus lane will remain closed to all traffic until bus routes change on Feb. 22.

The Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects is continuing to construct a new Alaskan Way from South King Street to Bell Street. The next milestone is opening dedicated, transit-only lanes on Alaskan Way between South King Street and Columbia Street by late 2021. Alaskan Way remains open during construction, with two lanes in each direction during the day. Closures, if necessary, will occur at night and on weekends and avoid major events. When completed in 2024, the new waterfront will reconnect the city to Elliott Bay for all modes of travel.